Derrick



C. R. B. CLAFLIN DERRICK Filed Feb. 18 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g I it MNVENTORI C. R. B. CLAFLIN Aug. 28, 1923}.

DERRICK I Will 7 Viiii iii.

1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18

Patented Aug. 28,

entree-stares- CHARLES R. B. oLArL'In; ornnnrronn, connnorion'r.

e r est if U nnnnrcx.

Application filed February 18, 1920. Serial No.,359,598.'

l To all whom it may concern: .1

Be it known that CHARLES R. B. CLAFLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of -Hartford and State of Connecticut, has. invented certain new and useful Improvements in Derricks, of which the following is a specification.

This. invention relates to. what I shall term a skeleton tower. I adopt this title as a; matter of convenience but I should note that the apparatus is ofeparticular advan tage when employed in connection with the drilling of oil and otherwells and many like purposes. It is within thebounds of, possibility asmay be inferred that some of the features of the invention may be used with equal advantage in other constructions. I have anumber of motives in View although my primary and principal object is the provision of simple and etfective means' by which the structure can be quickly and readily erected and which. can be as easily dismounted, yet which has meansbyfwhich the parts are held assembled, in a stable,

solid and positive manner against accidental collapse.

There are other features of'novelty and advantage which with the foregoing will be discussed at length in the following description wherein I will outline in detail severah of the many forms of embodiment o-flthe inf vention which I have selected for illustra tion in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification.

This disclosure is made 1 to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. I may ob I am not restricted thereto.

viously depart therefrom in many respects within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description, for

as I have observed ineiiect the invention comprises certain broad relations.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of the lower a skeleton tower involving the portion of.

invention. 1 r

Fig. 2 is a front elevatlon or as seen from Q the left in Fig. 1..

Fig. 3 .is a detail partly in elevation and with a portion broken away and section, ofajoint.

Fige is a cross section on the line 4+4 of Fig. 2 looking downward and with certain portions broken away. r

Fig. 5 is a detail view partly incross secs tion of two of the cross bars, an associated of a column. I Fig. 6is anrelevationo'f ,the' same. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the. structure shown in :F igs.-5 and 6.

clamp,- and parts of two; adjoining sections v Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of adjoining parts of twoof the sections of a column for convenience in dist-inction. The two units maybe associated together or the u per structure maybeused with an entirely different sub or primary structure or vice versa. p The base or primary structure or unit which I have selected for illustration isdenoted in a general way-by :2, the super or secondary structure being denoted in a gen- Jeralway by 3, the base or primary-structure constituting a convenient and proper sup- .port for the super or secondary structure The primary structure asrepresented comprisesthe sills 4: general-ly'arranged in parallelism and la d :upon the ground or .piers 1n the vlclnity for instanceof a well to be dug. On the sills and as shown atright angles thereto are the struts 5 also disposed in parallelism and at rightanglesto the re spective sills. O nthestruts S-ma'ybe laid boards or planks 6 to present a platform. Near the ends and upper sides ofthe front strut 5 are mounted the blocks 7- usually or somemetal which have ears or lugs 8 on their upper sides to which are pivoted ashy bolts 9 the feet of the two braces or supports I IO usually of tubular construction or of pip ing. These, braces '10 converge upwardly and are furnished with heads {11' which as shown areprovided with-lateral flanges 12' which receive betweenthem the base flange of the crown piecex13shownas beingof eye form :incross section the base flange of the crown piece resting upon theheadsll which are tightly clipped by the side flanges 1-2. 0 The two heads may move ,outwardlyyet they are positively prevented from coming i an . which directly in contact as by stops as 14 rigid with the flanged base of the crown piece 13 as shown best in Fig. 2. 'The stops therefore definitely prevent the too close approach of the heads. I will describe here inafter the way the crown piece 13 is associated with the super or secondary struc-- ture The blocks 7 are'heldsuitably in p sition as by bolts 7 extending through the front strut 5 and through the inner lependmg'flanges of said block.

The back strut has upon it near the op- 'posite ends thereof the blocks having iqistanding rear flanges lfito which are con nected as by boltsithe posts 17 and 18 as 'il-' lustre. ed bothin Figs. 1 and 2.' These posts 17 and 18 are at the back of. the base or primary structure 2 and as shown are not parallel, conyerging upwardly but not how over at such a great angle'to the vertical as;

that of'the braces 10." To the blocks 7 are shown as connected for instance by the bolts 7, the diagonal braces 20' theupper ends of these braces being connected'with he posts 17 andv 18 just below the upper ends thereof in substantial manner as I I The heads 21 of these I diagonal braces 20- are provided on their will later set forth.

rear sides with flanges the posts 17 and 18 being: respect vely perforated to receive suitable tastenings as bolts 23 the nuts of which bear against the flanges of said heads 21 asshown best in Fig. '3. Around the bolts 23 within the respective posts 17 and 18 are bushings as 24: theterminalsof which solid ly and substantially lit seats in theinner surfaces of the respe'CtiYe posts; 'Between the posts] 17 and 18 are braces or crossjpieccs' as 25 and 26" the terminals 27 0f which are exactly like the terminals of the diagonal braces 20 thes terminal portions 27 being associatedwiththe posts '17 and 18 desirablyin the exact manner as are the" upper end V portions'of the diagonalbraces 20, the bolts ".vhich secure them by 28. 7V I p V it-h the base structure which I have dein position being denoted scribed is associatedlhe superstructure 3.

This base structur isf not rectangular in cross section because there are two inclined posts 17 and 18 the rear and none strictly speaking at the front; In the con struction shewn however; is a. substitute for scription of one of these columns 29will of course apply to the others the columnsas will be clear sin-mounting the base or riwhich "is a feature. of importance. owing the fact that the boltsare positively heldf a inst rotation. The. latter is accomplished mary structure 2. The oolumns'29 as shown con-verge upwardly their angleof convex gence being practically the same as that of ithe posts 17 and 18. In Fig. 8 for instance it will be seen that thecolumn 29 comprises as shown several hollow endwise-engaging tubular members 30 of equal diameter the ends abutting in a solid manner.

As represented a Fig. 8 the tubular memi bers have opposite-end apertures or notches 31 respectively adapted tomato or register in abutment. Surrounding each pairof'tubular members at their placeof abutment is one complemental clamping member as 32'.

the'tubular or hollowbhdies 33' of there 'spective members 32 rcceivingt'he' ends of "when the ends of the tub ularmcmbers are the hollow ortubular braces 34' as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. It will'be understood that each'clamping member 32 isv connected to s i r the end .ofa co-operating brace '34 the clamping members which are; practically semi-circular in crosssection fittingaround f the adjoining ends of the tubular members '30. The halves or sections of the clampin' members 32 areas represented l furnisheg with projections 35 perforated to receive boltsas 36 by which the clamping members may be firmly set on the turning ofthe n uts thereof. The heads ofthe bolts' are preferably interlocked with the projections;

with which they co-operate'so that the nuts,

of the bolts may be readily turned "with a.

wrench. In this way it is possible to nan-I tate the assemblage or dismountingo't the structur in that a. wrench or sim lar tool o implement can'be put around the nut and the latter remoyedorappliedwith one hand by furnishing the. heads of the bolts with locking lugs as 37 which are adapted to enterseats in the ears for the purpOse in dicated. Within the" halves 0 sections of the clamping member-s32 are studs 38 whicha-re adapted to lit the notches or apei 7 tures 31' when the parts are assembledl as shown for instance in F in, 7 these studs l'oi further strength having heads 39 to prevent their accidental separation. There may: be

fitted in the end portions of thebr res 3? the plugs 40 as shownbest in Fig. l. Thi

strengthens or reinforces the braces. In like fashion the tubular members or sections 30 01 the columns 29 may have fitted in the ni the plugs 41 ne-arthe ends thereof: 'These plugs 41 perform a function similar to that of the plugs 40, their outerends-may as shown have conical seats 42. 'The clampin f member 36 at th front and which embrac the lower end of th e front column clamps the shank 50 (Figs. 1 and 2) this shank having a flanged foot 51 the flanges of; which fit around the upper flange of the crown piece 13. Lateral movement of this shank and associated part-s is limited by stops 52 on the upper flange of the crown piece.

In Fig. 11 I show a modification. The numeral 4: represents a sill one of two, on which rest struts 5 equivalents both of the sills and struts hereinbefore described. The sill 5 is assumed to be the one at the front of the structure. This sill 5 supports near its ends blocks 7 held in place by bolts 7 the bolts passing through the feet or base portions of braces 20. Associated with the blocks 7 are braces 10 having their feet 43 practically of cylindrical form to fit apertures 44 in the upper surfaces of the blocks 7. The cylindrical feet 43 are hugged by lugs 15 on the blocks 7. v

It will be noted that certain of the parts are held in assembled relation not only by clamping means but that they are automatically locked by independent means thus giving positively double assurance against accidental collapse or buckling. It is also clear that the structure can be mounted or dismounted in a ready, easy manner which is a feature of consideration in that heretofore the condition has not been possible. It will also be evident that the parts will be held in assembled relation in a thoroughly stable and substantial manner.

I desire also to make it clear that-I have illustrated and described but two of the many forms of the structure. Clearly I may depart in many ways from the showing made by'the annexed drawings and the'foregoing description within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description.

I It is an important feature and to which I wishto call attention that the crown. piece 13 aids in preventing collapse of the structure. A derrick or its equivalent is often set up on soft ground This crown piece or its equivalents prevents positively the collapse of the derrick in such a case, relieving effectually the wrecking strain.

'"What I claim is:

1. A skeleton tower comprising complemental posts, braces co-operative with the posts, a crown piece adjustably connected to the braces, and means for limiting the lateral motion of the crown piece.

2. A skeleton'tower comprising complemental posts, flexibly mounted braces co-operative with the posts, a superstructure supported by the postsand a crownpiece Susv I tained by the'braces to aid. in upholding the superstructure and connected with the braces to'permit independent motion of the braces.

3. A skeleton tower comprising an approximately rectangular base, 'a'n proximately triangular superstructure supported by the base, and means between the base and the superstructure, to permit of changing their relative positions to compensate for change in position of one or more of the elements of the base.

4:. A skeleton tower comprising a base structure, a superstructuresupported by the base structure, and means between the base structure and the superstructure, for permitting relative movement of the elements when the parts are in assembled relation. I

5. Askeleton tower comprising complemental posts, flexibly mounted braces co-operative with the posts, a crown piece over the base of which the braces are flanged, a

superstructure and a part connected with the superstructure and also flanged over the crown piece to thus permit lateral adjustment of the crown piece with relation to the tower.

6. A skeleton tower comprising comple mental posts, flexibly mounted braces co-operative with the posts, a crown piece over the base of which the braces are flanged, a superstructure and a part connected with the superstructure and also flanged over the crown piece to thus permit lateral adjust ment of the crown piece with relation to thetower, the crown piece havingstops to limit I said lateral adjustment. 7

7. A skeleton tower comprising posts, upwardly-converging flexibly mounted braces, the bases of the braces being approximately in horizontal line with those of the posts, a

crownpiece distinct from. and connected with the upper ends of theconverging braces, columns connected with the respective p'osts,-a column adjustably connected with the crown piece, the several columns constituting a superstructure, crossed braces I between the posts and diagonal braces ex- 

